Housing: Construction

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many residential new build planning applications were granted in each of the last five years; and what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of residential new build sites with planning permission which have not been developed.

Ian Austin: The number of planning applications for residential developments that have been granted for last five years is set out in the table:
	
		
			  Planning applications granted on residential developments in England( 1) 
			   Applications granted on residential dwellings 
			 2003-04 49,500 
			 2004-05 56,600 
			 2005-06 51,300 
			 2006-07 49,500 
			 2007-08 50,500 
			 (1) England figures have been rounded to the nearest 100 and include estimates for non-responding authorities.  Notes: Information for 2008-09 to be published on 29 October 2009.  Source: Communities and Local Government General Development Control Returns 
		
	
	Information on whether planning applications have been developed or not is not held centrally.